Circuit-closer for incubator-alarms.



M. T. CHAPMAN AND L. L. LYONS.

CIRCUIT CLOSER EOR INCUBATOR ALARMS.

APPLICATIQNIILED sEPT.13.1917.

1 25,394. Patented Dec. 16, 1919.

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M. T. CHAPMAN AND L. L. L YONS.

CIRCUIT CLOSER FOB I NCUBATOR ALARMS.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 13, I917.

Patented Dec. 16,1919.

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344m H tow- UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MARION T. CHAPMAN AND LARK L. LYONS, OF HOLDEITVILLE, OKLAHOMA; SAIDLYONS ASSIGNOR TO SAID CHAPMAN.

CIRCUIT-CLOSER FOR INCUBATOR-ALARMS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 16, 1919.

Application filed September 13, 1917. Serial No. 191,234. I

bator-Alarms, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to incubator and brooder alarms of that type designed to give an audible signal when the temperature within the incubator or brooder rises or falls to an abnormalldegree and it is one aim of the invention to provide an alarm of this class which may be readily applied by any one to any of the ordinary types of incubators or brooders andreadily adjusted to suit the varying dimensions of such machines and also to give the warning signal at any abnormally high or low degree of temperature desired by the attendant.

Another aim of the invention is to provide an alarm of the class described so constructed that the parts whereby the circuit is closed may be adjusted without the necessity of reaching within the incubator or brooder and after adjustment will not be liable to become disarranged.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is-a perspective view of the alarm applied to an incubator;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a portion of the alarm removed from the incubator; Fig. 3 is a perspective view illustrating the adjustable parts of one of the contact members;

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view through the base of the alarm, and the top of the incubator egg chamber, the alarm itself being shown in elevation, as also the thermostatic wafer of the incubator and the parts of the alarm being shown in normal position infull lines and in dotted lines in position to sound the alarm when the temperature within the egg chamber rises to an abnormally high degree;

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4, illustrating a slight modification of the invention.

The drawings illustrate an incubator indicated in general by the numeral 1, the top of the egg chamber of which is indicated by the numeral 2, and arranged in the usual manner within this egg chamber is the usual thermostatic wafer 3 which expands and contracts as the temperature rises or falls and through the medium of which wafer the damper for the lamp flue is automatically adjusted.

The incubator alarm embodying the present invention includes a base 4, which is of wood or some other insulating material, and preferably, although not necessarily, of the form shown in the drawings, and this base is secured by screws or other suitable fasten ing elements to the upper surface of the top 2 of the egg chamber above an opening 5 cut through said top. The base 4 and opening 5 are preferably,although not of necessity, as will be presently explained in connection with Fig. 5, located immediately above the center of the wafer 3. The base L is formed with a smooth bore 6 which is located in vertical alinement with the opening 5 and slidably guided within this bore is a stem 7 which is also preferably of wood, although other insulating material may be employed. At its lower end the stem 7 rests in direct contact with the center of the thermostatic wafer 3, as shown in Fig. 4, or, if it is inconvenient or impractical to locate the opening 5 and base 4 directly above the center of the thermostatic wafer, the lower end of the stem may have attached to it a laterally projecting extension 7 which may rest upon the thermostatic wafer, as shown in the said figure. In its upper end the stem 7 is formed with a bore 8 which at its upper end is threaded, as is indicated by the numeral 9-, and threaded into the said upper end of the bore is a bushing 10 which in turn is provided with a threaded bore 11. The bushing 10 is of metal and threaded adjustably into the bore 11 thereof is a screw 12, the head of which is provided with a thumb piece 12' by means of which it may be adjusted without the use of a screw driver or other implement. Fixed upon or integral with the screw between its upper and lower ends is a circumscribingdisk-like contact'13 which is designed to coact with spaced fixed contact members in a manner to be presently explained.

Secured at its lower end to the base 4: is a support in the form vof a metallic strip 1&

which at its upper end carries 'a fixed terminal contact finger 15 which projects substantially at right angles from the said support and in the direction of the threaded stem 12. Thefinger 15, furthermore, extends at its end above the contact disk 13. A collar 16 is slidably adjustably fitted upon the strip 14: and is held at adjustment by means of a set screw 17 threaded through one side of the collar and bears against the corresponding face of the said supporting strip-14. It is preferable that the strip 14: be provided upon its face which is contacted by the screw 17, with a series of -scale marks 18 with which the upper edge of the collar 16 may register so that an adjustment once obtained may again be secured if the particular scale mark with which the upper edge of the collar 16 has previously registered, has been noted. Projecting from the collar 16 directly beneath the terminal finger 15 is a second terminal contact or finger 19, the end of which is located below the contact disk 13. Electrically connected in any suitable manner with the bushing 10 is a conductor wire 20 and a similar wire 21 is connected electrically with the strip 14. These wires are in an electric signal circuit including a bell or other audible signal 22 and a battery 23.

From the foregoing description of the invention it will be understood that should the temperature within the incubator or brooder rise to an abnormal degree the thermostatic wafer 3 will expand whereupon the stem 7 will be carried upwardly carrying with it the contact disk 13 which will thus bebrought into electrical contact with the finger 15, thereby closing the electric circuit and sounding the bell 22. On the other hand, should the temperature within the incubator or brooder lower to an abnor mal degree the contraction ,of the thermostatic wafer 3 will result in a lowering of the stem whereupon the contact disk 13 will be brought into electric contact with the finger 19 which will also serve to close the circuit. Should it be desirable to have a signal given when the temperature varies but slightly from the degree which should be maintained, it is only necessary to adjust the screw 12 so as to raise the contact disk 13 until the same lies relatively close to the contact finger 15-after which the collar 16 ,may be adjusted upon the strip 14 so that its finger 19 will occupy a position spaced below the contact disk 13 a distance equal to the distance between the said disk and the contact finger 15, assuming that the incubator is in actual operation and that the temperature Within the egg chamber is normal. On the other hand, should it be desired to have the signal sounded only when there is a relatively great variation in temperature, the collar 16 is to be lowered and the screw 12 then adjusted so as to position the contact. disk 13 midway between the contact terminals 15 and 19. Should it become desirable to have the signal sounded when the temperature rises slightly or falls considerably, the disk is adjusted higher at its normal position than midway between the fingers; or, should it be desired to sound the signal when the temperature falls only slightly or rises considerably, the disk is ad usted below its usual position at normal temperature. Thus it will be seen that four possibilities may be accomplished by the proper use of the two adjustments described. The use of the bushing threaded into the upper end of the stem and the screw threaded into the bushing multi lies the degree of adjustment of the disk w ich is possible, and yet does not unduly complicate the structure. It will be understood, of course, that the bore 8 accommodates the lower end of the screw 12 when the screw is so adjusted that the said end thereof extends below the bushing 10.

It will be understood that inasmuch as the contact element circumscribes the screw 12, the said element will be in position for contact with the fingers 15 and 19 in all positions of adjustment of the said screw.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. In an alarm, a thermal element an upright stem moved vertically thereby and having a bore threaded at its upper end, a bushing-screwed into said threads, a screw adjustable within the bushingg a disk-like contact fast on the screw, and upper and lower terminal fin ers projecting radiall toward the screw a' ove and below the disk respectively.

2. In an alarm of the class described, a wafer, an upright stem moved vertically by the expansion and contraction of the wafer,

a screw adjustable in the upper end of the stem, a disk-like contact fast on the screw, an upri ht support alongside the screw, terminal gers carried by the support and projecting toward the screw above and below the disk, and means for adjusting the position of one finger vertically.

3. A circuit closer for thermal alarms comprising a stem vertically adjusted by changes in temperature, a guide through which it moves, a metallic member rising from said stem and fixed through a disk constituting a contact, a support rising from said guide, a finger carried fixedly by the support and projecting toward said member over the disk and constituting a terminal for high temperature, and a second finger adjustable vertically on the support and projecting toward the member below said disk and constituting a terminal for low temperature.

4. A circuit closer for high or low temperatures comprising a thermal element, a

stem raised and lowered in a guide by the vertically on the support, and a lower terexpansion and contraction of said element, minal carriedby the collar and projecting 10 a member rising axially from said stem, a under the disk. metal disk on said member constituting a In testimony whereof we afiix our signa- 5 contact and adjustable. vertically with retures.

spect to the stem, a support rising from said guide, a fixed upper terminal on the support MARION T. CHAPMAN. [11. s. projecting over the disk, a collar adjustable LARK L. LYONS. [1 8.} 

